1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems for producing adjustable surface contours, such as for control surfaces for aircraft, and more particularly, to a system that produces a variable surface contour of a compliant, continuous surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
A need for surfaces having an adjustable or variable contour is present in a wide variety of applications, ranging from aircraft control surfaces to specialized furniture. Absent the ability to vary the surface contour in any such application results in the creation of products and systems that are not optimally designed, but instead are configured as compromises between conflicting design goals. In the case of airfoils for aircraft, it is known that overall drag results from the combination of friction between the airfoil and the air flowing therearound, and the lift component of force supplied to an aircraft wing. In such an application, innumerable variations can be effected between airfoil thickness, airfoil camber, airfoil length and width, and the like. The conventional airfoil, therefore, is but the implementation of an engineering compromise to effect an acceptable lift:drag ratio, which is a primary flight control parameter. There is a need, therefore, for an arrangement that enables advantageous variation in the shape of an airfoil and the contour of the associated control surfaces.
There is a need for an arrangement for varying the dimensions and contours of airfoils, such as aircraft wings, so as to optimize same for different flight conditions. Thus, for example, the wing configuration that would be optimum for stable, undisturbed flight, would be different from the wing configuration that would be optimized during take-off and landing. It would additionally be advantageous if the contour of the airfoil is adjusted in a manner that is not constant throughout the length of the airfoil, but which varies, illustratively to form a twist along the control surface of the wing. There is a need for optimizing the configuration and contour of such surfaces in other applications, such as in hydrofoils for water craft and spoilers for high speed land vehicles.
In addition to the foregoing, there is a need for a system that affords advantageous variation of a surface contour for applications unrelated to airfoils, hydrofoils, spoilers, and the like. Such other applications may include, for example, adjustable seating surfaces, including back supports as well as fluid passageways, the dimensions of which are desired to be varied, such as an air intake passageway for an engine of a vehicle.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and economical arrangement for varying a contour of a surface.
It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable control surface for a wing of an aircraft.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an airfoil having an adjustable configuration.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an aircraft wing arrangement that can be optimized for various flight conditions.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide a hydrofoil having an adjustable surface contour for a control surface.
It is also another object of this invention to provide a variable control surface for a spoiler for use in a land vehicle.
It is also another object of this invention to provide a fluid passageway having a variable contour.
It is yet an additional object of this invention to provide a variable surface for a seating arrangement.